Traditionally, brazing of aluminum tubes in manifolds has been done by hand-brazing, a labor-intensive and expensive operation. An apparatus and method according to the present disclosure provides automatic brazing of aluminum tubes. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus comprises three fixture frames disposed 120 degrees apart on a rotating platform. The fixture frames hold the manifold tubes in place during brazing. The rotating platform allows a first fixture frame to be in a brazing position, a second fixture frame to be in a cooling position, and a third fixture frame to be in a load/unload position. While a fixture frame is in the brazing position, automatically-controlled brazing torches move to the desired joints and perform the brazing operation.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.